Better left in the Ocean

[chineseknife]

Is there a list of fish/corals/inverts that are better left in the ocean? Be it because of maximum size, biological issues, ecological issues?
Maybe a link?
Things like goniopora, elegance, sweetlips, etc..
TIA!

[drummereef]

That's kind of a loaded question since all of the stuff we keep in our tanks was made for the vast ocean. But, I'm going to go with starfish.

[motlot77]

all of it SHOULD be left in the ocean.

[chineseknife]

C'mon folks, we all know that everything would be better left in the ocean. I mean things like filefish, pipefish, goniopora, elegance, etc....

[Paul B]

You really can't answer a question like that. Some people just can't keep anything while others can keep everything.
Of course there are a few that no one will argue with like they used to sell green sea turtles which are obviousely a poor choice in any tank but besides size almost any fish can be kept.
It would be nice if people would realize that you need to be certain that you can take care of an animal before you buy it rather than buy something then go on RC and ask how to care for it. How many threads start with "I just got a moorish Idol can it live in my 30 gallon tank and eat flakes" or "My new green moray eel keeps jumping out of my 20 gallon reef"
Thats OK with a hobby like stamp collecting but when you are dealing with live animals you really need to research and I don't just mean to ask the guy in the store who sold it to you. No offence, but there are no qualifications for working in a pet shop.
Paul

[UntamedBreez]

There is a great book Consientious Marine Aquarist...good all around info book...but one of the things I love is that the auther is very enviromentally concerned and it will tell you straight up about certain fishes ya it's pretty but will died...collected using poisons dont buy....ect

[motlot77]

moorish idols.

[MV_ReEfLoVer]

Peppermint angels, because they are rare, beautiful and toooo expensive!!!! one angel costs around $ 10000!!!!!.

[bcolvin]

anything you dont know the biology of before you buy it.


purple queen anthias
orange spot file fish
many of the dragonets (if not kept in the proper conditions)
Rocky Beauty angle
Clown Tang (if cyanide caught)
Many types of butterfly fish (know food source)
Moorish Idol
Purple Mask Angel
Some lionfish (radiata)

Flower Pot Corals
Carnation Corals
Some of the Carpet Anenomes... the ones that take 100yrs to reproduce

This is just a start of the fish that I choose to avoid for my own beliefs. As technology gets better more fish well be able to be well maintained.

[Flint&Eric]

batfish, large groupers, dendronepthya, scleronepthya, stylaster, most non photosynthetic gorgonians, sharks.

most of those above corals are very difficult to keep, or rarely provided the proper aquarium, thus why there collections should be limited to only experts...

[Dell2go]

Anything that is on endanger spicies list should be kept in the ocean.

[bluetmax]

BARRACUDA! Yes, I saw some for sale a minute ago and thought about this thread. lol